Suspect device in Hastings town centre

Sorry, we're having problems with our video player at the moment, but are working to fix it as soon as we can

Waiting for Video...

Published:10:53Sunday 13 December 2015

Share this article

This video shows bomb bomb disposal experts at work on Friday.

Police were called to reports of a suspicious package in the McDonald’s in Wellington Place just after 10am.

The EOD took the incident very seriously as a package was also found by a police car. Photo by Eddie Mitchell

As police were evacuating the building a member of the public told them that a man had placed another bag in the street.

An explosive ordnance disposal unit arrived at the scene just after 12pm and dealt with the packages, which turned out to be harmless.

Cordons and road closures were lifted just after 2pm.

Detective Inspector Gavin Patch said: “It was important that we took this matter seriously and that is why we called in military colleagues to deal with the packages safely.

“We did not treat the matter as a terrorist incident, but we are now investigating it as a bomb hoax.

“I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has video or photographs showing the man between the time he entered the restaurant just after 10am and when he was arrested by police officers around 40 minutes later.

“Please don’t send your videos at this time, but email robert.tillyer@sussex.pnn.police.uk describing what you have and we will arrange to get them off you.

“We do not need anything from outside of this timescale or just general footage of the police operation.

“Anyone who may have witnessed a man acting suspiciously in the area in the time leading up to the incident is asked to email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting serial 339 of 11/12.”